The present invention relates to a disk transporting device that accepts large and small disks, such as CDs, through an insertion aperture and transfers them to prescribed positions for storage and playback.
Japanese utility model publication no. 60-106250, Japanese utility model 61-24851, Japanese laid-open publication no. 2-7263 and other references describe disk players, each of which employs a pair of endless tractor drive belts to transfer the disk between an eject position and a playback position. In these devices, the drive belts are supported at remote points to form oblong loops with taut spanning portions of the belts positioned on either side of, and parallel to, a disk transfer path. The disk inserted between the belts is frictionally engaged by the drive belts at opposite points on its edge and pulled along when the drive belt is revolved. The distance separating the spanning portions of the belts must be roughly equal to the diameter of the disk so that the disk may be inserted between the belts and carried along when the belts are revolved. To avoid interfering with the rotation of the disk when it is played back, the drive belts are separated by distance greater than the disk diameter so the belts clear the disk completely.
There are two standard size formats for compact disks, the recording media containing optically encoded data. These are 8 cm and 12 cm. Prior art devices employing belt drive systems, such as those described above, are capable of transporting only one type of disk because of the great difference in separation between the drive belts required to accommodate the different sized disks.